Mele Kalikimaka (Merry Christmas)
by MTK4FUN
Summary: Newlyweds Katniss and Peeta Mellark experience a magical and memorable Christmas. Historical AU set in 1974.


**December 1974**

Katniss pulled the flower power-decorated wallet that had once belonged to her sister out of her purse. She sat down on the bed, opened it, and spread the contents onto the blanket. Six dollars and 12 cents. "That's all we have until I get paid." She looked up into the blue eyes of her twenty-year-old husband who sat propped up against the headboard, a white plaster cast encasing his left leg.

"Don't worry we'll manage." Peeta reached for her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "At least the rent's paid through the end of December."

"Yeah, but we still have to buy food." _Not to mention the January rent and the medical bills that are trickling in._

"We'll make it work."

Katniss sighed_. I suppose we can do it. But not for our first Christmas together. I never expected things to turn out like this._

"It's a good thing we had that money saved. We'll still get to Hawaii. It will just take a little longer."

They'd only been married six months. Two lonely college students who met at a Valentine's Day dance, they'd bonded over the fact that each had lost a sibling only a few years earlier – Katniss' sister in a car accident, and Peeta's brother to a sniper in Vietnam. Neither of their families, who lived on opposite sides of the state, had bothered to attend their college-town, courthouse wedding that occurred just four months after they met.

"You should wait until after you graduate," Katniss' mother had suggested when hearing of their plans. Peeta's mother had gone even further - accusing her son of getting his girlfriend pregnant. It was a cutting insult to both of them since they'd never been intimate while they were dating – both had wanted to wait until their wedding night.

But they were crazy-in-love - Katniss couldn't get over Peeta's resemblance to Robert Redford in _The Great Gatsby_, while Peeta insisted that Katniss was the spitting image of actress Olivia Hussey who he'd had a crush on ever since he'd saw her in _Romeo and Juliet_. So without their family's support, they forged ahead, planning to move into married student housing, work-part time, and continue their schooling. But Peeta's parents had thrown a wrench into that scheme shortly after the wedding. "You want to be a man, get a job and support your family," his mother had written him. "We're not paying your tuition any longer."

With Peeta's withdrawal from school, they weren't eligible for married student housing, and needed to find another place to live. In a show of solidarity and partly to assuage her feelings of guilt, Katniss had quit college as well, giving up her scholarship. Still Providence treated them kindly – they easily found full-time employment – Peeta at the bakery where he already worked part-time, while Katniss became a secretary at a small manufacturing firm.

They'd even lucked out locating a place to live. A nicely-furnished, one-bedroom apartment above a backyard garage at a below market rent. Their landlords were a married middle-aged couple named Haymitch and Effie, who weren't home too much and when they were had the decency to leave Katniss and Peeta alone to enjoy the intimacies common to newlyweds. It was an ideal residence for Katniss and Peeta in spite of the occasional noises that sounded from the garage below.

Stuck working in a college town where neither was a student any longer, they remained optimistic. Peeta had proposed that they begin saving for a belated honeymoon –a trip to Hawaii. It had brought purpose to their struggle, and as the empty pickle jar atop the refrigerator filled with coins and small bills, Katniss grew excited. She imagined herself and Peeta lolling on the sandy shores of Waikiki, sipping fancy drinks with umbrellas. _Maybe we can go on our first anniversary._

But the day before Thanksgiving, Peeta slipped on a patch of black ice while walking to work. He broke his leg, and even had to stay in the hospital overnight. Without medical insurance, their Hawaii fund was depleted immediately. And the bills were just beginning to come in.

"Do you have everything you need?" Katniss asked. She set a cup of tea, a couple of slices of toast, and a dish of canned pears on the nightstand, along with Peeta's sketchpad, and colored pencils. "I have to leave now."

"I'll be fine. You have a great day."

"You, too."

A momentary frown crossed her husband's face, then he held out his arms and Katniss moved closer to give him a lingering kiss.

_Too bad I can't call in sick, but we need the money. _She sighed as she locked the apartment door behind her. _Poor Peeta._ He was trapped inside because he couldn't maneuver the narrow staircase even with his crutches. That had been made abundantly clear when his co-worker Thom had driven Peeta home from the hospital. Katniss had had to knock on their landlord's door to ask for help. Haymitch and Thom had practically carried Peeta up the stairs.

As a result Katniss had begged Peeta not to attempt to go downstairs. "How am I supposed to take care of you if you break your neck, too?" she pled. Fortunately, he agreed.

After a hectic workday – Mr. Crane was in a bad mood – Katniss rode the city bus home. She got off a few stops earlier than her regular one because she wanted to stretch her legs. Ever since the accident she'd been cooped up in the apartment, too. Even though Peeta encouraged her to get out and see a movie or something – _like I should be spending money on movies_ \- she wasn't going to leave him alone _on purpose_. _He must be so bored._

As she walked along, she wondered what to give him for their first Christmas together. _I have no extra money._ She could cut off her long hair and sell it like the woman in O. Henry's _The Gift of the Magi_. _But Peeta loves my hair. _She supposed she could make him something._ But how can I when he's always there? _

Her walk slowed as she fretted. _I know I'm being silly_. _Other than his leg, Peeta's in good health. He loves me. We'll right this storm out together. _As she reminded herself of the good things in her life, her mood shifted. _This Christmas will be one to tell our future kids about when they complain, as all kids do, about how hard they have it._

The idea of her's and Peeta's future children put a smile on her face and she walked a little lighter and began to notice her surrounding. The street she walked down was lined with trashcans. Propped up against one was a silver Christmas tree about four feet tall. One quarter of its tinsel branches were missing.

Katniss' heart jumped. _I could do something with that. _She eyed the street carefully, taking note of the home the trashcan sat in front of. _Is it stealing if someone was already throwing the tree out?_ _I don't think so_, she concluded. She took hold of the top of the tree, picking it up. It was fairly lightweight, but awkward to carry. Still she practically skipped all the way home. _Wait until Peeta sees it._

As she reached her home, she ran straight into Haymitch. _He really needs to shave. He looks like an old wino._ Her landlord was dragging trashcans to the curb. He eyed the artificial tree in her hand. "The cans are already full, I can't add that large coat hanger to it."

Outraged, she blurt out, "This isn't trash. It's our Christmas tree."

Haymitch's eyes narrowed. "It's worse than the one Charlie Brown picked out. If you're looking to decorate the place, Effie could bring something over. She loves the holidays. She's the reason I put up lights every year." He pointed to the colorful display attached to the house's eaves. They were already lit even though it wasn't quite dark yet.

"Thank you, but we can manage Christmas for ourselves."

"No need to get upset," Haymitch said. "Just trying to help."

"I know," Katniss muttered. But already Haymitch had turned away to get another trashcan.

_Great, I hope he's not mad at me._ She trudged upstairs in a sour mood. _Does the tree really look that bad? _She unlocked the door to find her husband sitting in the armchair sketching. His crutches lay nearby.

Forcing a smile on her face, she carried the tree over to him. "Look what I found, Peeta. I know a lot of the branches are missing, but maybe we can decorate it in a way so that it's not so noticeable."

He eyed the tree. "Maybe we can."

But in her head Katniss heard Haymitch's jibe that it belonged in the trashcan. _Was Peeta only pretending to like it?_ Frustrated she set the tree down in the corner of the living room, then sat on the sofa and sighed.

"How was your day, Katniss?" Peeta asked.

_Terrible._ Why tell Peeta that their circumstances were beginning to depress her_. _"Not so bad."

"Are you hungry?"

She sniffed at the air, noticing a faint aroma of garlic. Her eyes widened. "Peeta, you shouldn't be cooking. You're not supposed to stand for very long."

"I didn't. Effie brought up a pot of leftover stew. It was kind of watery and bland, but I added some potato flakes, salt, pepper, and a little garlic, and then heated it up on the stove. It's thick and tasty now." He pointed to the kitchen. "Check for yourself."

Katniss frowned as she looked toward the unfamiliar pot simmering on the back of the stove. Ever since Peeta's accident, Effie had been bringing them food, most of it uneatable. Hopefully Peeta had been able to work some magic over it.

She stood up and ladled out two bowls and set them on the table. Peeta eased his way out of the armchair and with the help of his crutches lumbered over to the dining table. He winced as he sat down.

"Are you in pain?" Katniss asked.

He shook his head. "Just uncomfortable. And my leg is itching like crazy."

"What did you do today?"

"Not much. Some sketching and I took a long nap. Watched an episode of _One Life to Live_ with Effie.

_You're watching soap operas with our landlady?_

"But maybe tomorrow I can begin to fix that Christmas tree you found."

"What are you going to do?"

"Oh, I have some ideas."

Katniss was astounded to see how her husband had transformed the tree when she returned from work the next evening. Peeta had whittled thin, tree branches and set them in the empty slots in the artificial tree's trunk. The mixture of real and fake gave the tree a unique look. He'd set it on a small wooden stool in the corner of the room.

"Where did you get the branches?"

"Haymitch brought them up after he picked up Effie's stew pot."

"Well, it looks wonderful," Katniss said. "Did Haymitch give you the wooden stool, too?"

"Yes."

As the days grew progressively shorter and darker, Katniss did her best to keep her own spirits up. While she'd initially felt sorry for Peeta because he was trapped in the apartment, it now seemed as if he were the lucky one. He got to sit around sketching angels and sleighs and snowmen and then cutting them out and suspending them with string around the tree. His co-worker Thom stopped by every few days to drop off leftover baked goods and visit. And Effie was eating lunch with Peeta every day and watching soaps with him. _He's not lonely._

Meanwhile Katniss' had to handwrite Christmas cards to all of her company's clients, which numbered in the hundreds. Her right hand was sore. Plus there was the problem of the office Christmas party.

If Peeta hadn't been laid up with a broken leg, Katniss would have been excited about the dinner out. But without her husband, she wasn't interested. She was the youngest employee by at least fifteen years and had little in common with her co-workers. Katniss wanted to make an excuse, but another secretary warned her it wouldn't be a good idea if she wanted to keep her job. "Mr. Crane would see it as an insult."

She told Peeta about it one evening. "I need to go to the office Christmas party. I don't want to go, but it seems I have no choice."

"You should go," Peeta encouraged her. "It's bad enough that I'm stuck inside. You need to have some fun. I don't want you resenting me. You've given up too much for me already."

_He's thinking about how I quit school._ "I'd never resent you, Peeta." She gave him a kiss to be sure he realized she meant what she'd said.

The office party started immediately after work on the Friday before Christmas. It was held at a steak house within walking distance of her job site. While the group waited for the tables to be pushed together, Mr. Crane bought everyone a drink. He winked at Katniss as he handed her a glass of red wine. "I know you're not twenty-one yet, so don't get drunk and get me in trouble."

Katniss took the glass reluctantly. _I'll just sip at it_. She wasn't much of a drinker and even if she were, she'd rather get tipsy with her husband nearby than her co-workers. Several spouses attended the event and after the couples paired up, Katniss found she seated with a group of single employees, mostly men from the Sales department. It wasn't so bad at first because they told funny stories about customers that made her laugh. But then Brutus Smith noticed the ring on her finger.

"So where's your husband?"

Katniss hadn't shared her troubles with any of her co-workers and she wasn't going to tell everyone about it now just because some salesman she didn't even know had asked. "He couldn't make it," she said, taking another sip of wine.

Brutus snickered. "You don't say."

From the mocking tone in his voice, Katniss suspected he didn't believe her. _He probably thinks we had a fight, or maybe I'm only pretending to be married._

The moment left her feeling vulnerable and uncomfortable_._ Katniss fell silent. When her steak was set before her, she cut it into two portions and wrapped one in her napkin, dropping it into her purse to take home to Peeta.

When Cato Ableman, the salesman who sat beside her, saw her actions, he offered to give her his steak as well. "It's so tough I need a sword to cut it."

His humorous comment put her at ease again. Consequently they ended up making small talk during the meal. Mr. Crane gave a long, boring speech when everyone was done eating. Katniss skipped out soon after her boss' talk, worried that she'd already missed the last bus for the night.

She hurried to the bus stop and waited for ten minutes on the dark street before setting off to walk the six miles home. A half-mile into her walk, a car slowed and pulled up along side her. Her heart pounded and she set off running. But then she heard her name being called by a familiar voice.

"Katniss, do you need a ride?"

She stopped to see Cato waving at her. _He seems okay_. "I missed my bus."

"Let me drive you home. It's not safe to be walking around by yourself at night."

_He's right. Peeta wouldn't like me to be walking home either. _She accepted his offer and got into the front seat of his sedan, appreciating his thoughtfulness_._

He drove slowly, and talked about his car, a red 1973 Dodge Charger. "This baby has power," Cato said, as he fondled the gearshift. "It can go from zero to sixty in fourteen seconds." He was so engrossed in describing his vehicle that he drove past the street where Katniss had asked him to turn.

When she pointed out his error, he suggested they stop somewhere for a drink. An alarm bell going off in her head, she declined. "My husband's waiting up for me."

Cato chuckled. "You're kind of young to have settled down, you know." Still he turned the car around and drove back to Katniss' street.

"I live in that house with all the lights on it," she said, pointing to her landlords' house.

Cato pulled into the driveway and slamming on the breaks. Katniss was fiddling with the seatbelt. "Thanks for the ride," she mumbled just as the belt detached and Cato lunged toward her.

Without warning the passenger door opened wide, and Haymitch was shouting. "Get your hands off her or I'll kick your ass."

Immediately Cato drew back, his two hands gripped tightly on the steering wheel. "I only gave her a ride home old man."

"Oh is that what you call it? It looked to me like you were expecting something in return."

Meanwhile, as Haymitch stepped back, Katniss leaped from the car. Cato shifted into reverse and backed out of the driveway, and sped down the street with the passenger door still open.

"Stupid kid, Haymitch muttered.

In the dim light, Katniss could see her landlord's beard was coming in thick. _How did it grow so fast? _"You didn't have to do that, Haymitch."

"I couldn't help myself. That guy's a jackass. Anyway I need your help. Go upstairs and yawn or something so my wife will take the hint and come home."

Katniss eyebrows rose. "What's Effie doing in our apartment so late?"

"Making tree ornaments with your husband."

"Okay, I'll get her to leave, but please don't tell Peeta about what just happened. He'd feel awful."

Haymitch nodded. "The boy would. And I don't want to carry him up those stairs again if he attempts to come down and raise a ruckus. My back would go out for sure. Okay we'll keep it between us."

Katniss went upstairs to find Peeta and Effie at the dining table, heads bent over sugar cookies with a paintbrush.

"You're back," Effie said, sounding disappointed. Her eyes flew to the clock. "Oh my, I had no idea it was so late. I better get going. Haymitch needs me to tuck him in."

It was all Katniss could do not to snort as she watched Effie gather up some unfrosted cookies into a basket.

"Leave them if you want, I can finish them for you," Peeta said. "They'll look good on the tree."

Katniss glanced at the shiny silver tree in the corner. Already it was loaded with paper ornaments that Peeta had made. _Put the cookies on the tree? I'd rather eat them._

Effie bid them good-by. Katniss picked up one of the cookies to take a bite.

"Stop," Peeta shouted. "They're not real. It's salt dough with paint on top."

Katniss dropped the cookie onto the table and gave her husband a curious glance. "I didn't know you could do that."

Peeta nodded. "Just salt and dough and water. Bake at a low heat for a couple of hours and then decorate with acrylic paint."

"Have you done this before?"

Peeta shook his head. "Effie told me about it. She saw the instructions in a magazine. So how was your dinner?"

A shiver went down Katniss' back. "Okay. I had steak. I brought a piece back for you." _Don't ask me about how I got home though. _

The next day Katniss received a Christmas card from her mother. Inside it was a small check. _Yes! This will come in handy._ Katniss showed it to her husband and then stood it up on a side table.

"How does your mother celebrate Christmas?" Peeta asked.

"Works usually. Last year when I went home, she worked Christmas Eve and slept most of Christmas day. It was boring."

"Was it always like that for you?" he asked.

"Not when I was little. We had traditions that made Christmas special. I'm hoping we can start our own this year.

Peeta smiled. "What do you have in mind?"

"A ham dinner on Christmas Eve and then we might read some Christmas stories aloud to each other."

"And then open presents?" her husband prompted.

"Peeta Mellark, presents are opened on Christmas morning."

"There're so many things I'm learning about you, Katniss. We, Mellarks, have always opened one gift on Christmas Eve. "

_How many presents is he expecting? _"We'll see about that"

"There is one tradition, I'd like to start though," Peeta said. "Let's invite Effie and Haymitch to share the holiday with us."

Katniss bit her lip. "I suppose that would be okay." Their landlords were becoming a bit too neighborly, in Katniss' opinion. All Peeta talked about was his afternoons with Effie, watching _One Life to Live_ and their discussions about the finer art of cooking, _which Effie clearly had a lot to learn_. Still she knew that Peeta needed someone or something to keep his mind occupied while he was trapped in the apartment all day. "Did you want to ask them over for Christmas Eve, then?" Katniss asked.

A sheepish expression came over him. "I already did. I hope you don't mind."

"No, that's okay."

"They can't make it that night. Effie said they have a standing engagement every year that they can't get out of. And they're leaving town immediately afterward for a long vacation. But Effie said dinner on the 23rd would be perfect."

"I don't know how I can manage that – I have to work that day."

"Don't worry about a thing," Peeta said. "I'll make all the food."

"Well, how can I say 'no' when you're taking care of everything."

Peeta smiled.

But Katniss didn't because she realized that Christmas was only days away and she hadn't figured out what to get Peeta. She'd set aside a few dollars– but she wasn't particularly clever when it came to gift giving. In fact the only gift she'd ever given him was a t-shirt bearing their college mascot for his March birthday.

An idea came to her as she flipped through some old travel magazines in the work lunchroom on the 23nd. She turned a page and gasped as she took in a stunning photograph of the sun setting over a beautiful sandy beach. The sky was awash in a soft orange glow. Katniss remembered her first conversation with Peeta as they sat on metal folding chairs that lined the gym that had been turned into a dance floor for the evening. Peeta had asked her about her favorite color and after answering his offbeat question, she'd asked about his. He'd said: orange. He'd even compared the color to that of the sky at sunset.

_I should do something with this photo._ _Decoupage it onto a board, maybe._ She carefully tore the photo from the binding and shoved it into her purse. When she got home, Haymitch was in front, replacing some burned out bulbs in the string of lights he had attached to the railing of the porch. _His beard is so thick._

"You look like your brooding over something. Did that dumb ass from the other night give you any trouble today?"

"Nope. I'm fine. Just trying to figure out how I can make Peeta's present look like something not made by a three-year-old."

Haymitch chuckled. "Children make the best presents because they put their heart into it." He put the burned out bulb into his pocket. "What are you trying to do? Maybe I can help?"

Katniss pulled the magazine page from her purse. "I thought I could decoupage this picture onto a board, but I'm not sure how to do it. Maybe Effie would know how. Peeta's mentioned she likes to make things."

Haymitch whistled. "Great photo of the beach at Diamond Head. I can help you with that. Come into my garage."

Katniss followed Haymitch into the back yard. Her eyes grew big as Haymitch unlocked the garage door and lifted it up to reveal a well-organized, woodworking workshop. _The noises we heard must have been the sound of his hammer._

"Your shop is astounding," Katniss exclaimed.

Haymitch nodded. "It's alright. It's miniscule to the one I'm used to working in." He rummaged through a crate filled with stained pieces of wood. "I have just the right piece for you." He pulled out a stained piece of wood with rounded edges. "Let me see that picture."

Katniss handed it to him.

"Looks like a perfect fit." He handed it back to Katniss with a scissor to trim it up, and then a paintbrush and special glue to attach it to the wood.

"It will be dry in a few hours. I'll leave it on your porch before Effie and I head out tomorrow morning.

"Thanks, now I better go help Peeta with dinner. See you soon."

By the time Katniss got upstairs, the table was set, dinner was simmering on the stove, and the radio was playing Christmas carols.

Peeta was even dressed up, with a clean albeit wrinkled button down shirt instead of his usual t-shirt. Katniss greeted him with a kiss. "It smells good in here." _But not like the spaghetti I told him to make._

"I hope you don't mind," Peeta said, "but I opened the canned ham and cooked the sweet potatoes and green beans you bought for our Christmas Eve meal. It didn't seem right to serve Effie and Haymitch spaghetti."

_What?_ She was ready to scold him when it dawned on her that Peeta was right. They were celebrating their Christmas dinner early with friends. Why not serve them the best food they had in the house?

"That's fine," she said warmly.

Peeta's face brightened. "And you'll never guess what I have for dessert. Thom stopped by with a pineapple upside down cake that didn't sell. Plus some rolls, too. This is going to be a great meal."

A knock sounded at the door promptly at six. Katniss opened it to find Effie and Haymitch on the other side. Effie had a large wrapped gift in her hands. "This is for the both of you. I'll just set it under your tree." Haymitch carried a carton of store-bought eggnog.

Effie helped Katniss carry dinner to the table, while Haymitch opened the eggnog pouring it into tall juice glasses. After the initial oohs and aahs about about how tasty the food was, Haymitch proposed a toast.

"To the Christmas of your dreams," he said as he lifted his glass of eggnog.

_The Christmas of my dreams. I wouldn't be cooped up in this apartment, cozy as it is. I'd be relaxing someplace tropical. _

Katniss glanced at her husband who sat across from her. _What would be the Christmas of Peeta's dreams?_

"So," Haymitch asked after they'd all taken a sip of eggnog. "When's the cast coming off?"

"Hopefully in mid-January," Peeta said, setting down his fork for moment. "The doc will need to x-ray my leg to be sure the bone's healed completely. But I can see no reason why I'd have to wear it longer." He lifted his fork and stabbed at a green bean.

Haymitch continued, "So what are your plans then?"

Peeta's forehead wrinkled. "Plans? I'm not sure I understand you."

"Well, I'm sure you don't plan to live the remainder of your lives in an apartment about my garage," Haymitch said.

A shiver went down Katniss' back. _Is he hinting that we should move out? Did he have someone else in mind for our apartment?_ She exchanged a fearful glance with her husband.

"Oh, Haymitch," Effie interrupted. "You're doing this all wrong. You'll scare them off. This is why the other couples backed out."

Katniss eyes widened. "Other couples?" She looked toward Peeta again. _What's going on here?_

"What Haymitch is trying to say is that he has a business proposition for Peeta," Effie said.

"Yes, that's it. A business proposition." Haymitch put down his fork. "I'm looking for someone I can train to take over my operation. You're good with your hands and have an eye for detail. That's important."

Haymitch focused on Katniss. "And you're a loyal wife." He gave her a wink when he said "loyal" and Katniss cheeks burned. _He told me it was our secret._

"A hardworking, resourceful wife would be a boon for this position," Haymitch continued. "Someone who loves her spouse implicitly and doesn't mind being cooped up with him alone for long periods of time."

"I should know," Effie chimed in.

"I've never graduated from college," Peeta said. His voice lowered. "Not likely to either."

Haymitch waved the fork in his hand. "No college is necessary. In fact a college man would be the worse kind of person for this job. It takes someone with trusting heart to do this work. Not some educated know-it-all."

"What kind of business do you run," Katniss asked.

"A one-of-a-kind business," Haymitch said exchanging a knowing glance with Effie. "My company has customers world-wide. Let us tell you some of the perks of the job. It comes with a house and a generous salary, and full medical benefits, in the event you plan to start a family." Haymitch winked and Katniss face got warm, as he continued. "The hours are flexible, although this time of year is our is our busy season."

_But you haven't been busy this month. You've been working around the house and in your garage workshop, and Effie's been at our house every single day._ Still Katniss said nothing waiting for Haymitch to say more.

"You'd have to relocate to train for the position, though. The business doesn't have a local office. But I think you'll like the headquarters, even it's a bit isolated. And what you can't buy in the company town, you can obtain via mail. We work very closely with the postal service and other government agencies."

Katniss looked at Peeta. _Why isn't he telling us what his business does? Is it even legal?_

Peeta must have been thinking along the same lines. "Thanks for the offer, but I'm not sure if I'm the best candidate. I don't think I'm cut out to run a large enterprise. I'm pretty happy working as a baker. I was thinking maybe I'll open my own bakery one day."

"We were thinking about opening a candy and baked goods subsidiary," Effie said, looking toward Haymitch. "You could help start it up." She looked at Peeta and Katniss. "We always run into problems when we deal with outside vendors."

"I don't know," Peeta hedged.

"No pressure," Haymitch said. "Talk it over with Katniss. You can give me your answer when Effie and I get back from vacation sometime next month." He winked at them. "Maybe this Christmas will make you see things differently."

Effie began talking about the weather and the topic of the job offer was dropped.

After their guests left, Katniss blurt out, "That job offer was so weird because Haymitch wouldn't tell us what kind of business it was. I didn't even know he _had _a job. I thought he was retired."

"Me, too," Peeta added. "And when Effie talked about other couples backing out…" He looked around the small apartment. "There could be a reason a nice apartment like this is so cheap."

"Do you think they could be criminals?" Katniss asked.

Peeta shook his head. "It's hard to believe. Maybe they work for some secret branch of the government."

Katniss rolled her eyes. "I think you're been watching too many soap operas."

Peeta stood up to help her clear the table but she motioned him to sit back down. "You made dinner. I can clean up." She gathered up the plates. "You know, you never said you wanted to have your own bakery someday. I thought you wanted to be an artist. You were an art major, and you draw all the time."

"I love art. But I never planned to make a living at it. I always meant to…." His voice trailed off. "It's probably because I grew up working in my parent's bakery."

"That makes sense, but iff Haymitch's offer were legitimate and not so _out there_ would you consider taking it?"

"Maybe, I don't know. Although I'd need to know what this mystery business even is. Why? Do you want to me to take it?"

Katniss grew silent. Her life had changed drastically this past year. Of course she'd made all the changes voluntarily, but some days she found herself wondering what exactly she'd gotten into. Life shouldn't be so hard. _Maybe we did get married too quickly. _

"I don't want to tell you what to do, Peeta," she said.

"But we're a team," he said. "Something like this would have to be a joint decision."

"I think I'd feel better if we re-started our Hawaii vacation fund. I was happier when I had something to look forward to."

Peeta reached into his pocket and pulled out a quarter. "Put it in the jar. We're back in business."

Much later as they lay next to each other in bed, Peeta whispered, "If you want me take the job Katniss, I'll do it. I love you."

Katniss fell asleep completely reassured that she had made the right decision in not waiting to marry this wonderful man.

Soft uklele music plucking out an island tune woke her up. _Did we leave the_ _radio on? _The apartment was toasty warm. _I'm positive I turned off the heat before we went to bed._ The smell of coffee permeated the air. Her first thought - _Am I dreaming?-_ was immediately followed by the notion that someone must have entered their apartment.

Katniss tapped her sleeping husband's shoulder. "Wake up. Someone broke in."

Startled Peeta sat up suddenly. "What?" he whispered, but then he paused. "I smell brewed coffee."

Katniss looked frantically around the room for a weapon. Peeta's wooden crutches were probably the best bet, but her husband needed them if he was going to help her scare away the intruder. She got out of bed and picked up the wind up alarm clock.

"No, Katniss, stay in the room." Peeta was sitting on the edge of the bed reaching for his crutches. "There's got to be an explanation. Robbers don't play music and make coffee."

Peeta pushed open the door of their bedroom and peered into the living room, whistling loudly. "You've got to see this, Katniss."

She set down the clock and entered the living room. Overnight their apartment had been turned into a tropical resort. Vases filled hibiscus and plumeria had been placed around the room. Gifts wrapped in paper decorated with palm trees were underneath the tree. The dining table was set with a lacy tablecloth, and two large plates filled with food. Draped over the back of each of their chairs was a flower lei.

Katniss pinched herself "Is this a dream?"

Peeta snorted. "If it's a dream, I say we have a bite to eat before we wake up."

They placed the flower leis over their necks and sat down to the feast before them. Thick slices of French toast dusted with coconut flakes and covered with chunks of tropical fruits. Katniss recognized the bananas, mangos and pineapples, but there were fruits that she'd never known existed on her plate, too. Two mugs sat in front of them. One filled with coffee, the other was hot chocolate topped by a dollop of whipped cream.

Katniss took a forkful of French toast topped with a chunk of pineapple. The combination of the doughy bread and sweet fruit melted in her mouth. "This is so good," she cried out.

Peeta took a sip of the coffee. "I don't think I've ever had a better cup. It's hard to describe. It's creamy, smooth, with a hint of chocolate."

Katniss picked up her cup, and took a sip as well. "Oooh," she murmured.

Peeta speared a bite of French toast and dipped it into his cup of chocolate, before putting it in his mouth. "Not bad," he said after he swallowed it.

Afterwards with their bellies full, they gravitated toward the shiny Christmas tree. "Where did all these presents come from?" Katniss asked.

"They're probably from the same person who set out breakfast," Peeta said. "I say we open them."

"But it's not Christmas yet."

"Look around you. I beg to differ."

Katniss opened the first gift. A five pound bag of freshly ground Kona coffee from Hawaii. Peeta opened the second gift – a coffee maker. "No more instant," he exclaimed.

Katniss opened the third gift. It was a can of macadamia nuts. When the rest of the gifts were spread out before them, including a tin of dried fruit and a large conch shell that they took turns holding to their ear to listen to the sound of the ocean, it was obvious that a theme had emerged.

"It feels like we went to Hawaii," Katniss said.

"It's like I put a magic quarter in the jar."

_Could that be the explanation?_ Katniss reached for the big box Effie had brought over the previous night. She opened it and found a button down shirt for Peeta made of a flowered print, and a loose dress for herself made of the same print.

"Let's put these on," Katniss suggested. She got off the floor and headed for the bedroom. Peeta followed. But the clothes were set aside because in the act of removing their pajamas, Katniss decided to entertain Peeta by an impromptu hula dance. Peeta tickled her side and she returned his touch and soon they were tumbling onto the bed.

They fell asleep afterwards, and Katniss awoke to a delicious feeling of contentment and relaxation. _What a wonderful dream._ She glanced over at Peeta and smiled. _I'm so lucky to have him. _Then her eyes flew to the chair in the corner that the shirt and dress and leis were draped over, and her heart leaped. _It really happened._

A nervous sensation came over her because she couldn't explain what was going on. Could Effie and Haymitch have gifted them with this wonderful surprise? But how? _Surely we would have heard them come inside and put out the food and the gifts._ _Besides Effie couldn't have made that breakfast._ _Anyway, they made a point of telling us they were leaving town._

"Did it really happen?" Peeta rubbed his eyes.

"The clothes are still there." She pointed to the chair.

"Well, let's get dressed then. I'm getting hungry. Maybe there's more food on our magic dining table."

Katniss giggled. They got out of bed and put on their new clothes, adding the leis round their necks.

The radio was playing Christmas music now. Night had fallen and the lamps were lit. Another meal sat on the table. Roast beef, scalloped potatoes, and carrots. Hot cider in mugs with umbrellas sticking out the top. Pecan pie for dessert. After they ate their fill, Katniss and Peeta snuggled close on the couch.

"I have a gift for you," Peeta said. "Do you want to open it now or wait until tomorrow?"

_Did Haymitch leave Peeta's gift by the door?_ _I need to find out. _"I have one for you, too." Katniss said. "But I'm thinking maybe we should save it for tomorrow. "I have a feeling that whatever this is that we're experiencing will only last a day. It would be nice to have something to look forward to tomorrow."

"Okay, then. What shall we do tonight? Watch t.v.?"

She wrinkled her nose. "On our first Christmas Eve together? That's not a tradition I want to begin. Let's read aloud. I've been gathering some stuff up." She went into the bedroom to get a copy of Clement Moore's _The Night Before Christmas_, Charles Dicken's novella _A Christmas Carol_, and a well-thumbed _Bible_ with a bookmark on the page where the second chapter of _Luke_ began. She carried them all out to the living room, setting them onto the coffee table.

"I'm going to turn off the radio." Although the music was low, it would be a distraction to their reading. She walked into the kitchen and turned the switch. "That's weird, it's not even on." She yanked the plug out of the wall; the music stopped.

They spent the evening taking turns reading. A long while later, when both began to yawn, Katniss forced herself upright. Her head was resting in Peeta's lap. After getting off the couch, she put out her arms to help Peeta up as well. He reached his crutches. "Do you think I ought to put the extra food away and wash the dishes?" she asked.

Peeta shook his head. "Let's leave it for the elves to take care of."

_Elves? Well, that's as good a guess as any._

Katniss waited until Peeta fell asleep to sneak out of the bedroom and open the front door. A wrapped gift lay in front of it. "Thank you Haymitch," she murmured as she picked up Peeta's gift. She ran down the stairs to stare at their landlords' house. But the inside lights were off, and even the colored lights weren't turned on. _They're not home._ She climbed the stairs and set Peeta's gift under the tree.

Glancing at the dining table, she noticed that no one had come to clean up the mess. _I'll do it in the morning. _She went into the bedroom, got into bed and curled up into Peeta's warm, slumbering body.

They woke up to silence the next morning. The bedroom was chilly and Katniss snuggled close to Peeta who was always warm despite the temperature. Even without getting out of bed and checking the living room, she was sure the magic or whatever it was that had occurred the previous day had ended. _There's something different about the air. It seems more ordinary._

As she listened to Peeta's gentle snores, she thought over the previous day. The delicious food, the tropical flowers, the gifts, the soft music, making love to her husband in the middle of the day and falling into a restful sleep, more delicious food, reading aloud to each other while they snuggled on the sofa. _It was the honeymoon we should have had._ _A day of rest and relaxation where we could focus solely on each other._

Their real honeymoon had been just as short, a single night in the Ramada Inn. But it had lacked a personal touch, the room smelling faintly of cigarettes and cheap liquor, and strongly of cleaning disinfectant. And the food they'd ordered from room service had been cold and greasy. At one point a shouting match had ensued in the hallway outside their door.

Of course that hadn't seemed so important then because she was alone with Peeta and enthralled by the sweet intimacies they'd were experiencing. _But in hindsight, it wasn't the greatest way to start our life together. And a week later that awful letter from his mom arrived and everything fell apart._

Lost in her thoughts, she startled as Peeta's arm went around her, squeezing her close "Merry Christmas."

She twisted her head to look up at him. "Merry Christmas to you, too."

He leaned forward and kissed her nose. "Have you been awake long?"

"For a while. I was thinking about yesterday."

"It was something else. I wonder who really did it."

"It was Effie and Haymitch," Katniss said. "Who else has a key to the apartment? Although I have no idea how they pulled it off."

"Well, if it _was _them, it was a kind thing to do."

Eventually they got out of bed and came into the living room. Just as they expected, the dining table was cleared and the vases of flowers had disappeared. The presents they'd received yesterday were still under the tree, though.

"How about we try out that coffee maker," Peeta suggested.

They drank their coffee while sitting on the sofa enjoying their unique tree. "There are still a couple of gifts under it," Katniss noted. "Let me get them."

She set her cup onto the side table and retrieved the last two gifts.

"This is for you," she said handing Peeta the package she'd found in front of the door last night.

"And that's yours from me," Peeta said pointing toward the flat box Katniss already held in her hands. "You know, Katniss, I'd lasso the moon for you if I could, but you'll have to settle for a Peeta Mellark original." Katniss tore the paper from the box and lifted the lid. A framed pencil drawing was inside. His sheer talent astonished her but it was the subject of the illustration that left her overwhelmed. Peeta had drawn the exact shoreline – with Diamond Head in the background – that she'd picked out from the magazine. The only difference between the two was that in Peeta's sketch a couple was walking along the beach, one that looked an awful lot like the two of them.

"It's beautiful," she murmured and leaned into give him a quick kiss. "And it's giving me a shiver down my back."

A confused look came over him.

"Open your gift. Then you'll understand."

Peeta tore the wrapping off his gift. His mouth fell open.

"Can you believe it?" Katniss asked, pleasantly surprised that the photograph pasted onto the piece of wood looked even better than she'd imagined it. Haymitch had even added a hook on the back so it could hang on the wall.

Peeta shook his head. "We sure think alike."

They sat in silence for a moment, both pondering the strange co-incidence in their gifts to each other.

"You know when Haymitch proposed that toast that we have the Christmas of our dreams, I fantasized something like this." Katniss pointed to Peeta's illustration.

Peeta grinned. "Me, too. I'm glad we're 25 cents closer to getting there."

She nodded.

"I can't wait for 1975," Peeta blurt out. "There's so much I want to do, starting with getting this cast off my leg. Look Katniss, if you want me to take that job Haymitch offered just say the word."

"Don't do it for me, Peeta. Do it because it's what _you_ want to do.

A knock sounded on the door. Peeta's eyebrows rose.

"It must be Effie and Haymitch come over to explain about yesterday." Katniss stood up. She was wearing one of Peeta's t-shirt. "Maybe I should put on a robe before I answer. Just a minute," she called out, before running into the room to retrieve her robe. She hurried to open the door to find a broad-shouldered older man on the tiny landing with a cropped white beard and wispy white hair. _Who is he?_

"Are you Katniss?" the man asked.

"Dad?" Peeta called out from inside. Katniss turned to see her husband reach for his crutches and walk to the door. "What are you doing here?"

Katniss stepped back as Peeta's father entered the room. "I'm so glad I found you son," the man said. He threw his arms around Peeta and held on tight. When he let go, he explained that he'd driven across the state two days earlier and been all over town trying to locate Peeta.

"Fortunately I found the college president who was in his office yesterday afternoon. He was able to locate your forwarding address that led me here. I would have come over last night, but it was getting late. Why did you quit school?"

Katniss looked at her husband's face. It had gone completely red. "Mom sent me a letter that said you weren't paying my tuition anymore because I got married. I had no choice."

Now it was Peeta's father whose face changed color. "She had no right to do that. I had no idea this happened."

He turned to Katniss. "I'm Henry Mellark, your father-in-law. I'm sorry to meet you under such unhappy circumstances."

Katniss grinned. "It's Christmas morning. We're not unhappy in the least. But I think I'll get dressed while you and Peeta talk."

When she returned to the living room showered and dressed a half hour later, Peeta was seated at the dining table while his father made fried eggs at the stove. "Would you like something to eat?" Henry asked Katniss. "I didn't know what you had in the house so I brought some groceries with me."

"Yes, thank you."

"There's a gift under the tree, too," Henry said. "And I'm ashamed to say that I never even got you two a wedding gift." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Did you take a honeymoon?"

"Not exactly," she mumbled.

Henry's eyes lit up. "How'd you kids like an all-expenses paid trip to Waikiki?"

_Did Peeta say something to him?_ Katniss' eyes flew to her husband and then to the pickle jar atop the refrigerator. "Yes, they chimed in unison. _Peeta wasn't kidding about that quarter being lucky._

"Just let me get this cast off first. I don't want to walk in the sand with crutches," Peeta said.

After they ate, Henry talked with Katniss while Peeta finally showered and dressed. Then they opened the present from Henry, a toaster oven. Much later, Henry insisted they all go out to eat Christmas dinner. He was shocked to learn that his son had been stuck in the apartment for a month.

"I'll spring you free," Henry said. "Get on my back and I'll carry you down the stairs."

Peeta hesitated. "I don't know, Dad."

"Don't be silly boy. I'm as strong as an ox."

"Are you sure about this Peeta?" Katniss asked.

He gave her a nervous smile. "Go down first with my crutches, maybe you can catch us if we fall down."

_Oh no._ She waited at the bottom in trepidation. But Henry had no problem carrying his son down. "You're not that heavy. Just the weight of a sack and a half of flour," he said as he set Peeta on the ground.

The search for a restaurant took a long while, but neither of them cared because it was an opportunity to get out together, something they hadn't done in what seemed like a long while. Besides the Christmas lights were so pretty.

The only place open was a Chinese restaurant. As they feasted on chow mein and lemon chicken, Henry explained that he and Peeta's mother had split up shortly after Peeta had written to say he was getting married. "I'm sorry son. This has been one hell of a year. I don't know who had it worse – me, or Richard Nixon. The thing with your mother, well, it blindsided me. I feel terrible that I lost touch with you."

"Who's running the bakery, now?" Peeta asked.

Henry frowned. "I know you had your heart set on running it when you graduated from college, but I've sold it."

Katniss looked toward her husband. His face was impassive. _He never told me of those plans._ But then it hit her. Those plans ended when he married her. _We both made a sacrifice to be with each other._

"I can always open another one," Henry said. "But for now I'm quite enjoying sleeping past 4 a.m. every day. But what are _your_ plans? Personally I'd like to see you re-enrolled in college, son. I'll pay for everything."

"The man whose garage we live over offered me a job," Peeta said.

"Doing what?" Henry's voice was sharp.

"He wasn't clear on that subject when Katniss and I tried to pin him down."

"Sounds like he's hiding something. Never have dealings with someone who's not completely straightforward."

They ran into Effie and Haymitch in late January just as they were setting off for a short walk around the block. The couple looked tanned and rested. Haymitch's beard was gone and his hair even looked as if it had been colored darker and styled.

"So the cast is gone," Haymitch commented.

"Got it cut off last week," Peeta said. "Now I need to work my leg. It doesn't bend so easy when it's been encased for seven weeks. Katniss and I were just going for a walk."

"Have you given any thought to that job I was telling you about?"

"We have," Peeta said. "Thanks, but I'll have to turn you down. As it turns out we're both returning to school. My dad showed up on Christmas Day and offered to help us out. And he was even able to talk to the college president and get Katniss' scholarship reinstated. We'll be moving into married student housing beginning in March. So this is our official notice that we'll be moving out at the end of next month."

"It was like Santa Claus himself knocked on our front door on Christmas morning," Katniss chimed in.

"You don't say," Haymitch said.

"But we really want to thank you for Christmas Eve," Katniss continued. "It was a wonderful day."

"Christmas Eve?" Haymitch's eyebrows went up. "Did something happen on Christmas Eve?" He exchanged a puzzled look with Effie.

"You know what happened," Katniss continued, her eyes roaming back in forth between their faces. "The food and all the gifts. Our apartment looked like the Hawaiin islands."

"That's sounds nice, honey but we didn't have anything to do with it," Effie said. "We were out of town, remember."

"But someone came into our apartment," Katniss said. "You're the only ones with a key besides us."

"It wasn't us," Haymitch said. "Maybe you left your door unlocked."

Flustered at their denial, Katniss decided to give up pressing them. _Clearly they won't admit to their generosity._ "Maybe we did. Hey, how was _your_ Christmas?"

"Oh the usual rush," Effie said.

Peeta looped his arm through Katniss' and they waved good-bye. "Glad you're back in one piece. See you around."

As Katniss and Peeta walked down the street, Haymitch turned to Effie. "Oh it drives me crazy that we can't take credit for a thing."

"I know," Effie said. She turned to her husband. "You must have thrown too much Christmas dust onto their door when you dropped off that package after dinner. It sounds as if a series of miracles occurred in that apartment while we were gone."

Haymitch snorted. "Don't blame me. It _is_ the season of miracles, remember?"

"It is," Effie agreed. "But despite them ruining our plans, I'm happy for them. They're a nice couple. I think they'll have a good life."

"Yeah, but we've been looking for a replacement couple for over fifty years now. Do you think we'll ever find anyone who will take over for us? I'm so tired, Effie."

His wife sighed. "Maybe next Christmas."

**THE END**

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **_**Mele Kalikimaka** is the closest approximation to Merry Christmas in the Hawaiian language.

**Flower Power **was a slogan used in the late 1960s and early 1970s as a symbol of passive resistance and non-violence ideology. Hippies embraced the symbol by dressing in colorful clothing decorated with flowers, wearing flowers in their hair and handing out flowers. Manufacturers picked up on the cultural trend, and flowers (with oversized petals) became a fashion design element.

**The Vietnam War** was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia that began in 1955 and ended in 1975 with the fall of Saigon. More than 58,000 American soldiers were killed in that war which took the lives of more than 3 million people, most of them Vietnamese civilians. Opposition to the war in the U.S. bitterly divided Americans. In 1973, President Richard Nixon ordered the withdrawal of U.S. forces.

Actor **Robert Redford** starred in the third movie version of _**The Great Gatsby**_ in 1974. The movie was based on a book with the same name written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1925.

Actress **Olivia Hussey** played the role of Juliet in the film version of _Romeo and Juliet_ made by director Franco Zeffirelli in 1968. The movie has a famous nude scene (of a topless Hussey in bed with Romeo) The director had to obtain special permission to film it, and as a consequence Hussey was unable to attend the movie's premiere due to her age, even though it was her own naked image on the screen! The A- rating given at the time the film was shown in theaters meant that only people 18 years and older could see the film. Ironically the movie has now been seen in countless middle school and high school classrooms as teachers use it as a classroom supplement when they teach _Romeo and Juliet._

**Waikiki**is a neighborhood of Honolulu located on the south shore of Oahu in the state of Hawaii. It's famous for Waikiki Beach, a big tourist site.

**The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry** was published in 1905. The story is about a young couple that sells their greatest personal treasures to buy a Christmas gift for their spouse.

The **Charlie Brown Christmas tree** was made famous in _A Charlie Brown Christmas_ animated cartoon special which first aired in 1965. In the show, Brown purchases a spindly tree with only a few scraggly branches. His friends make fun of him for his purchase but in the end they all pull together to decorate the tree.

**One Life to Live** was an American soap opera that aired from 1968 to 2012 on the ABC television network. It was the first daytime drama to consistently emphasize social issues. It also primarily featured ethnically and socioeconomically diverse characters.

A defining feature of the view from the shores of Waikiki Beach, Hawaii, is **Diamond Head**. Declared a Natural National Landmark in 1968, the ridgeline and its crater are part of a series of cones and vents formed by volcanic eruptions from a volcano long gone dormant.

_**The Night Before Christmas **_is a Christmas poem/rhyming story written by Clement Clarke Moore. It was originally titled _A Visit From Saint Nicholas_. It was first published in 1823.

**A Christmas Carol** is a novella written by Charles Dickens and published in 1843. It tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge.

The **Book of Luke **is the third book in the _Bible's_ New Testament. A traditional Christmas reading that describes the birth of Christ is Luke 2:1-20.

**Richard Nixon** resigned as United States president in August 1974 after the U.S. House of Representatives announced that it was going to vote to impeach him as a result of the Watergate Scandal.

_Here's wishing all my readers a very Mele Kalikimaka (Merry Christmas), and a wonderful 2020!_


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